Rail elevating device



Def. 7, 1958 w. T. HAKE ET AL RAIL ELEVATING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.

,, 1958 w. T. HAKE ET AL 2,854,868

RAIL ELEVATING DEVICE Filed Nov, 1, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I a 16 T- O can an arb H a 0 Q film yway/# 149- kj mgil mks. W

W. T: HARE mm. ELEVATING DEVICE U WW Filed Nov, 1, 1.954

Get, 7, 1958' W. T. HAKE HAL RAIL ELEVATING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 1. 1954 ELL k/VENTORS.

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United States Patent RAIL ELEVATING DEVICE Walter T. Hake and Howard E. Lauhach. Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 1, 1954, Serial No. 465,910

6 Claims. (Cl. 77-=4) The invention relates to a novel device incorporated in a rail elevating mechanism on a vertical boring mill and particularly to an arrangement to facilitate the leveling of the rail at any given position on the mill.

As will .be well understood by those skilled in the art, a vertical boring mill generally comprises a pair of vertically extending columns upon which is mounted a generally horizontal rail, said rail being movable up and down on ways provided on said columns, whereby a rail head carried tool may be moved toward and away from a generally horizontal rotatable work table. The rail head on the rail is additionally power movable in a generally horizontal direction across the rail, said rail being provided with horizontal ways to facilitate said movement. In this manner, the carried tool may be brought horizontally across a table mounted work piece to provide for cutting the desired contour on said work piece. Inasmuch as the rail head is movable horizontally on the rail, it becomes particularly important to maintain the rail itself and especially the ways formed on the rail which guide the movement of the rail head, in an exact level or horizontal relation relative to the surface of the rotating work table.

As earlier noted, the rail itself is vertically movable on the columns, said movement being afforded by a generally vertically arranged power driven screw which is received by the rail and threadably engaged therewith, whereby upon rotation of the screw, the rail is urged upwardly or downwardly depending on the direction of the screw rotation. In many mills of the type here under consideration, the rail is extremely large and bulky; hence, it requires aplurality of vertical screws, usually one in each column, threadably engaging the rail at spaced points to accomplish the desired vertical movement. With the extreme. requirement for holding the rail level at a plurality of positions on the column, it becomes a difficult, if not an impossible, task to so machine-the vertical screws and the receiving threads on the rail, so that as the screws are rotated and the rail moved vertically, the rail ways are maintained in said level position. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide means Whereby the rail may be leveled at any given selected point on the supporting columns bythe expedient of raising or lowering one side of the rail as desired.

Heretofore in the art, it was necessary, when it became desirable to level the rail, for the operator tov climb to the top of the machine, remove the. covers on the m..- chine crown, and by a complicated adjusting nut and locking nut arrangement to vertically raise or lower one of the adjusting screws whereby the associated end of the rail would be moved in the desired direction. This has and one to indicate the level of the rail, or in the alternative a single operator would be required to scramble up and down the machine a number of times to achieve the desired setting.

The here concerned invention contemplates a new and simple arrangement whereby the rail of the vertical boring mill may be easily leveled at any position on the mill by a single machine operator. It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a novel rail elevating arrangement with a unique leveling mechanism associated therewith.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide an arrangement of the type described, wherein the operating parts are located at the back of the rail and are easily accessible to the machine operator while on ground level.

It is an additional specific object of the invention to provide a novel bracket-adjusting bushing arrangement to receive and engage the vertical screws on a .vertical boring mill, said arrangement facilitating the leveling of the horizontal rail.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description and from an examination of the concerned drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary end elevational view illustrating the horizontal rail of the boring mill and its operative connection to the vertical screw;

Figure 1a is a front perspective view of a vertica boring mill;

Figure 1b is a front view of the crown portion of a vertical boring mill partially broken away to show the power means carried thereby;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the screw and rail mounted receiving member but illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top view taken along line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top view illustrating another embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 5.

The herein disclosed invention has particular utility, as above noted, when associated with a vertical boring mill, and due to the fact that those skilled in the art are gen erally familiar with the function, operation, and construction of a vertical mill, it has been thought expedient in the drawings to disclose in detail only that portion of the vertical mill illustrating in detail the novel leveling mechanism associated with the rail elevating device. It

also should be noted that in certain of the figures, features of construction may be omitted where it is believed said features are more accurately and adequately disclosed in other figures.

Describing the invention in detail and directing attention first to Figures 1a and 112, it will be seen that the mill comprises a base portion 3 adapted to carry a rd tatable work supporting table 5. The mill further comprises spaced vertical columns 4, said columns having a front face 6, said face 6 being machined to provide a way on which is mounted a rail 8. The rail 8 is movably mounted on the face 6 whereby it is guided for vertical movement, by means of screws 16, up and down depending on the particular operation of the machine. The columns 4 have a crown 10 mounted thereon, said crown 10 having positioned therein a power mechanism 11, Figure 1b, which serves to drive a horizontally arranged shaft 12, said shaft 12 having a worm gear formed on the periphery thereof, said gear engaging a complementally formed gear 14 mounted on the upper end of a vertical screw 16 (Figures 1 and 1b). The gear 14 is keyed or nonrotatably locked to the upper end of the screw 16 and a retaining nut 18 locks the assembly firmly in place,

and 21 are provided, said heafifigs beifi g' mounted in the crown 10, whereby they otter rotatable support for verticai screw 16.

It will be noted that the bearing primariiy serves tga sq msdats l t y vemen f screw/1,16, wh rea the ea sh 2, 1 r n s 9. se a t u t bearing and accommodate and resist vertical forces 'cart ed .Py. thssrsw. 1 a s rew Q s ssm IP lY. dowpwardly whereat it is received within an aperture 24 formedin arail rriounteclbracket, indicated generally at 26. The aperture 24 is preferably cylindrical in cross section and is arranged to receive the body 28 of an adiustrnent bushing', indicated generally at 3'0. Thebody 28 }of the a ustment, bushing 30 presefits a peripherally cylihdrical surface which is ,coinplementally and closely fitted within the aperture 24: at the bracket 26., Atthe lower end thereof, the bushing 30' provided with a radially extendiiigflange 32, said flange 32 abutting the lower side ofthe hra itetzs, The body 218 at the bushing 30' eitending upwardly through and above theaperture 24, whereatit presents on its external peripheral surface, straw threads 34, said screw threads 34' thread'ably eijgagirig' a pos" ing nntse; said nutss being a'rrrariged a abut the er side or the bracket 26, whereby the nut and ts-s asis urged to tightly cast) the bracket.

As earlier noted, the screw 16 is provided with a continuous seriesof threads an its'outer periphery prefera'bly an Acr'ne type thread: The s'erew is received within anaperture or vertical openingt 38 centrally formed within the adjustmentbushirigjo'. The opening 38 is provided with threads which 'complefrientallyehgage the threads provided by the screw 16. Dire ting atjtehtion to Figure 1',

it will be seen that the bracket 26 is provided with a vertical slot 42 in one side thereof, said slot 42' com municating with the aperture 24 formed in' the bracket and dividing the bracket intotwo sectioris 44 and 46. The sections 44 and 46 have aligned apertures 48 and 50 formed therein, said aligned a'prtufes receiving a bolt 52. The bolt 52. abuttably engages the sectionl 46 by msaas'ot a wing 54" which' 'receives the head of the bolt. Additionally, the bolt 52 is thre dably connected to the aperture 48 as at 56. With this arrangement the Bait 52 maybe tightened, whereby the section is sprung in \vardly toward the s'ection 44 which results in the fric: tional engagement of the inne'r pe ery of. the aperture with the date"; periphery of the body 28 of. the a'df justing bushing 30. It will also be noted thatthe flange 32,- as well asfytlie' nut 36, are provided with a plurality of angulaifly spacedholes 58 and 60, res ectively, said holes sfe'rviii'g to receive a spanner wrench or other convenient tool for rotation of the particular member, as will herein a'fter be more fully described. I I

When it is desired to adjust the relative or static position of the rail and the screw 16; the machine operator merely loosens the bolt 52 which releases the friction hold of the secti i 46 oh the bushing 30. With an appropriate tool, he then rotates the nut 36 to it released posi tion. This leaves the bushing' 30 f 'ee' tobe rotated upon the screw 16. If it is desired to raise the associated end of the rail,- the bushing 30 is rotated iii a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2, which c'ar'riesthe bracket 26 and attached rail end vertically relative to the screw 16. When the rail is indiated levl, the operator thentightens the nut 36 and may lock siid nutin position" by means of a set serew at 62 Thepperatortheri tightens the'bolt 52 to positively insure that theadjusting bushing 30 will not rotate during" screw action and destroy the rail level. s p I Directing attention to Figures Sand 4,- which innstrate another and perhaps preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be seen that the screw 16 and the receiving" bracketlfi are substantiallysimilar to that of theembodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The adjusting bushing 30 is again disposed in the aperture 24 of the bracket, and the bushing is provided with a flange 32 at its lower end and a locking iiu't'or' positio'ii ing nut 36 at its upper end. The detail of the locking arrangement whereby the adjusting bushing 30 is nonrotatably positioned within the bracket 26 difiers in this embodiment. It will be seen that the bracket 26 is provided with a generally horizofital bore 68, said bore having an axis angularly arranged to the of the bushing receiving aperture 24. A locking bushing, indicated generally at 70, is disposed within the bore 68, said bush ing 7 0 comprising separated sections 72 and 74. The sections 72 and 74 are provided with centrally located aligned apertures in which is disposed a machine bolt 7 6. The bolt 76 is provided with a head which ahuts the end of the section 74 and is threadably engaged with the inner periphery of the section 72. The locking bushing 70 and particularly the sections 72 and 74 are provided with arcuate surfaces 78 and 80, said surfaces being exposed to the internal peripher df the" u' r'e 25, whereby said arcuate sur aces at ar en ble with the external periphery of theadjustingbush' g 30', i

The rail elev aiti'ng or liv ing 0 erati'on'of this embodiment is identical withthat heretofore described However, when it is desired to lockthe adjusting in a deterrniiied position, the operator merely rotates the screw 76 which" urges the e tions 72 and 74 of thelockin'g' bushing 70 toward one another andi into tight frictional engagement with the periphery of the adjusting bushing 30 at situate 7s and 80. h H p I Directing attention toFigures 5 and 6, whi h illustrate another embodiment of the i'nverition, it will be seen that the bracket 26 new comprises a rail m'ounted sectidt'i 8 4 arid'a dern'ountable cap section 86.- An aperture 88 is defined within the bracket 26 by the sections84 arid 86, said aperture 88' again receiving an adjusting nut 90, the adjusting nut 90 is'provided with a flange 92 which abuts the lower endof the bracket 26 much the same as in previous embodimelits; Additi ofially the fiar'tg e 92 is'provided with gear teeth aroiind the outer'per'iphery thereof, said teeth being apsrawa eiigziged with the gear teeth provided by a. worm gear indicated'at 94. The worm gear, 94 is mountedori a shaft 96; said shaft locking itself in the tan mounted breeket' 98, arid said shaft being rotatable ifi'said b tticket to'proi ide for the rotationof the mounted worm gear" 94. K heitheaa 100 at similar device is presided a pha and bf the shaft 96 to Other convenient means whereby a toe; may clasp the shaft and the shait' may be rotated. Upon rotation of the shaft 100, the worm gear 94 is-ur'ged to'rotfite which in turn rotates the en aged adjusting bushing 90 which provides for relative adjustment by th e screw 16 and the associated end'of the rail. It will be appreciated that'the mechanical adjustment features of embodiment could readily be accommodated to" the embodiment heretofore described. 4

It will be noted that the cap section'86 of the bracket 26 frictionally' grips the external periphery 102 of the adjustment bushing 90 when the bolts 104 are fixedly locked in place. Therefore, it will" be understood that in this embodiment, when it is desired to make-the adjustment to level the rail, the bolts 104 must be loosened to provide for the rotation of the adjustment bushing' 90.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a novel mechanical arrangement which readily accommodates the leveling of a rail in a vertical boring mill, wherbyfla single operator may easily and quickly accomplish the desired rail leveling which is necessary to proper and accurate machining in view of the fact that the arrengcment is novel and conveniently located on the boring mill rail in a location of ready. accessibility as differentiated from the arrangements heretofore employed in the art.

We claim: v

1. In a rail elevating device for use on; a ver tlcgl boring mill having-a table rotz'itebl" about a vertical assesses axis, a horizontal rail movable vertically on column ways provided on the rail, a pair of rail elevating screws, power means to drive said screws in unison, at least one bracket secured to the rail for movement therewith, said bracket having an opening adapted to receive therethrough the related screw, a bushing rotatably received Within the opening and threadably engaging the screw, said bushing having a flange at one end thereof abutting the adjacent side of the bracket, a positioning nut threadably mounted on the other end of the bushing and engageable with the other side of the bracket whereby upon loosening of said nut, said bushing may be rotated to adjust the position of said rail on said screw and whereby said flange and nut may be drawn into tight engagement with said bracket, and means to lock said device in adjusted position.

2. A rail leveling device according to claim 1, wherein said locking means comprises a slot in one side of said bracket communicating with said opening and dividing said bracket into sections, and means to spring said sections toward each other whereby the internal periphery of the bracket is urged to frictionally engage the outer periphery of the bushing.

3. In a rail leveling device for use on a vertical boring mill having a table rotatable about a vertical axis, the combination of a pair of column ways on the mill, a horizontally disposed rail movable vertically on said ways, a pair of rail elevating screws disposed at opposite ends of said rail, said screws being rotatable in unison, and independent leveling means associated with at least one screw for raising or lowering the associated end of the rail, for leveling purposes, without rotating the screw, said leveling means comprising a bracket secured to the rail adjacent the screw, said bracket having an opening therethrough receiving the respective screw, a bushing rotatably disposed within said opening and threadably engaging the screw, said bushing being operatively engageable with said bracket whereby, upon rotation of said bushing, said bracket is moved axially of said screw, and means to lock the bushing in a fixed position relative to the bracket.

4. A rail leveling device according to claim 3, wherein said locking means comprises a bore in the bracket having its axis angularly disposed relative to the axis of said opening, said bore communicating with said opening, and a locking bushing in said bore to frictionally engage the outer periphery of said first mentioned bushing.

5. A rail leveling device according to claim 3, and including a flange at one end of said bushing abutting the adjacent side of said bracket, gear teeth peripherally formed on said flange, a worm gear rotatably mounted on the rail and adjacent to and in engagement with said gear teeth, and means to rotate said worm gear whereby said bushing may be rotated.

6. A rail leveling device according to claim 5, wherein said locking means comprises a split collar having a rail mounted section and a demountable cap section, and a plurality of bolts operative to tightly mount said cap section on said rail mounted section whereby said bushing is frictionally engaged by the inner periphery of said bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 709,568 Vlk Sept. 23, 1902 1,447,422 McCann Mar. 6, 1923 1,454,080 Sears May 8, 1923 2,260,635 Musselman Oct. 28, 1941 2,333,341 Scrivener Nov. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,183 Great Britain Apr. 4, 1901 1,012,268 France Apr. 9, 1952 1,049,775 France Aug. 26, 1953 

